Radio Africa & Kitchen is one of a growing list of city- supported food businesses on Third Street in San Francisco’s Bayview neighborhood. It’s all part of a calculated redevelopment strategy to drive foodies to this long neglected corner of Southeast San Francisco. Yes, there is plenty of the mouthwatering BBQ and Soul Food you’d expect to find, but Bayview has a lot more to offer now, including at least three places to get a latte. (Is it just me, or is that a key indicator of foodie culture?)

“Welcome to our Bayview. Welcome to Third and Oakdale,” said Mayor Ed Lee at a recent press conference for the restaurant’s launch. Most restaurant openings don’t feature the local mayor, but the people packing this party were mostly city officials. Because San Francisco is this project’s biggest backer.

Radio Africa & Kitchen’s chef, Ethiopian-born Eskender Aseged, has served “pop up” dinners at one venue after another over the last eight years. His approach is heavily influenced by his experience at the now-defunct Square One, one of the first restaurants to take classic recipes from the Mediterranean and reinterpret them for the California palate.

“We take any country from all over Africa, specifically Ethiopia, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Senegal or Nigeria, and then we sort ofbring on the fresher, more straightforward focus and cleaner taste,” says Aseged.

You won’t find fried food at Radio Africa. Or ketchup. Or hot sauce. Aseged uses what he likes to call the power of Ethiopian spice mixes, like Berbere.

“It’s a combination of sweet, spicy and aromatic. That is to say, birdseye chili, which can be substitute for cayenne chili, sweet paprika. We got cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, fenugreek, basil, shallot, ginger.”

As I explained in a report for KQED News, Aseged couldn’t afford to launch a brick and mortar restaurant on his own, but he could put down about 35 grand. The city, through a variety of agencies, brought roughly $710,000 to the table and built the restaurant from scratch. It’s a street-level commercial anchor to a new condo complex .

Two months in, Aseged is still in a state of shock over his good fortune. This is a man used to making dinner for about 100 people off of two hot plates.

“We have 12 burners, a grill, griddle, salamander, two ovens. It’s kind of like, overkill over here,” he says.

Aseged is expected to source some of his labor locally. The restaurant is serving dinner now, but soon it will open for lunch, featuring a new crop of young line cooks. They’re being trained nearby at the non-profit Old Skool Café, which works with troubled youth.

Even though the five-year-old Muni T has made this stretch of Third easily accessible, the street intimidates pedestrians, much like Geary and mid-Market do.

“It doesn’t feel walkable,” says Andrea Baker, a consultant for San Francisco’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development. “And therein lies the difficulty. Because small businesses tend to rely on foot traffic.”

While sipping a large cappuccino from the Road House Coffee Company at Third and Thomas, Baker says the city might help launch a bakery next – or something Indian. (These days, there are more Asian Americans in Bayview than African Americans.)

“Why is it government’s job? Why isn’t it, I would say!” She laughs. “In our system, people pay taxes in the hope that if we all put a little something into it we can create big things.”

Forty years ago, Bayview became a code word for urban decay and gang violence. A lot of people have not reassessed, despite the arrival of gourmet pizza, outdoor concerts, and a new library under construction.

“You know, it’s not just me saying it. I think if you talk to community leaders, they’re seeing a renaissance here,” Captain Paul Chignell says. He’s the SFPD’s commanding officer for Bayview.

It’s not that the area is crime free. There are lots of beat police in evidence day and night along the corridor. But Bayview still struggles to get the big crowds other crime-plagued neighborhoods in San Francisco enjoy.

Amy Cohen runs Neighborhood Business Development for the city. “It’s very challenging to get people to come here,” she says. “That’s honestly the power of restaurants in this town. We really feel like people will go anywhere for a good meal.”

Even though Radio Africa & Kitchen is bustling/busy on a recent Friday night, its an expensive bet, perhaps the last of its kind after the state put the kaibosh on local redevelopment funds. But Chef Eskender Aseged brings with him a loyal clientele willing to give him — and Bayview — a chance to impress.

If you’re game to go on a foodie crawl in Bayview, here’s a Google Map to get you started:

Chef Aseged has graciously shared his recipe for Mushroom Wot Crostini with Mustard Greens, Berbere and Parmesan Cheese. As you can tell from the ingredient list, he’s used to cooking for a crowd. Adjust accordingly for your intended audience:

Bake crostini in a 350-degree oven for about 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned.

Saute shallots and garlic in olive oil on medium heat for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook for about 15 minutes on medium low, stirring often. Add the mustard greens and cook for another 5 minutes. Take off of heat and let it rest for a few minutes.

Drain some of the liquid out of the pan and add berbere, sherry vinegar, parsley, and salt and pepper.

Thanks for the positive piece on my neighborhood, The Bayview. I’ve lived here more than 20 years. Change has been slow, but we’ve always been proud of our neighborhood and welcome the positive changes we’ve seen over the past couple of years.

Jessika

It is nice to see a piece about the Bayview that doesn’t focus on violence, but I will say there are greater issues here than “foodie culture” – namely gentrification and displacement. I love the idea of re-development, but perhaps the city could start with supporting businesses that actually serve the people who were already there.

Rachael Myrow

Hi Jessika. I didn’t really get to mention it in the radio story (broadcast is always brief), but there is a program called SF Shines that offers up to $13.5K for store owners to buff up their store fronts with new windows, awnings, logo artwork and the like. A number of established (read: long time) businesses on Third Street – not all of them restaurants – have taken advantage of the program, which is offered in several San Francisco neighborhoods. http://www.oewd.org/Neighborhood-Revitalization-SF-Shines-Facade-Program.aspx

Author

Rachael Myrow

Rachael Myrow is KQED's Silicon Valley Arts Reporter, covering arts and culture in San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz Counties. She also guest hosts for The California Report and Forum,and files stories for NPR and the KQED podcast Bay Curious.

Her passion for public radio was born as an undergrad at the University of California at Berkeley, writing movie reviews for KALX-FM. After finishing one degree in English, she got another in journalism, landed a job at Marketplace in Los Angeles, and another at KPCC, before returning to the Bay Area to work at KQED.

She spent more than seven years hosting The California Report, and over the years has won a Peabody and three Edward R. Murrow Awards (one for covering the MTA Strike, her first assignment as a full-time reporter in 2000) as well as numerous other honors including from the Society of Professional Journalists, the Radio Television News Directors Association and the LA Press Club.
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